Flu-like illness on the rise in Marion

Published: Friday, January 10, 2014 at 7:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 10, 2014 at 7:47 p.m.

The H1N1 flu virus has hit North Central Florida harder than in 2009, the year that it emerged worldwide with a vengeance and was labeled a pandemic.

Twelve patients hospitalized with the flu at UF Health Shands Hospital since October have died, five of whom were under the age of 40. Over 150 have been hospitalized with the flu at Shands.

“That's really striking. Normally mortality associated with influenza is in the elderly,” said Professor Glen Morris, director of the Emerging Pathogens Institute at UF.

Meantime, Marion County hasn't seen the same volume of influenza-related hospital admissions as Gainesville, but emergency room admissions for influenza-like illness (ILI) are on the rise, said Craig Ackerman, Marion County Health Department spokesman.

Influenza-like illness manifests with a temperature over 100 degrees and a cough and sore throat that are unrelated to any other medical conditions, Ackerman added.

Marion County emergency rooms reported 69 cases of ILI for the last week in December, a gradual increase from the 56 cases the week before, and the 34 cases the week before that.

At Munroe Regional Hospital, senior vice president of medical affairs and chief quality officer Dr. Lon McPherson said there have been some very significant illnesses, and a couple of flu-related deaths at the hospital.

However, McPherson said that the number of flu cases is lower than it was in 2009. A couple of mild seasons followed, and the numbers are back up this year compared to last.

“This is a return to the normal flu season,” he said.

However, visits have fallen for children, who are instead being hospitalized with a different type of virus called respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, which typically shows up at the same time as the flu.

Ackerman said they are also on high alert for pregnant women with the flu, since statewide pregnant women are being hard hit.

“Flu is five times more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than other women,” Ackerman said. “If mothers will get the flu vaccine, they are protecting themselves and their babies.”

The health departments in both Marion and Alachua Counties provide the flu vaccine, as do retail pharmacies in both counties.

Professor Morris said that although the H1N1 virus that circulated five years ago hit younger people like the current strain, this variant of the virus appears to be even more lethal.

“It is not unexpected that strains mutate year to year,” Morris said, adding that's why it's important to get an annual flu vaccine. “This one appears to have changed unfortunately for the worse.”

Morris and his colleagues at UF are in the process of studying the strain to determine exactly how it's changed and why it's affecting younger people.

The five people under age 40 who died were in their 20s and 30s, said Dr. Timothy Flynn, the hospital's chief medical officer. Although some of the patients who died had underlying medical conditions, all came to the hospital with the flu, Flynn said. Although it's impossible to say whether they died of the flu or simply with it, the combination of flu and chronic conditions became lethal.

Morris said that most flu deaths result from the virus' deadly effect on the lungs.

“Flu gets into the lungs and destroys the lungs,” he said. “Sometimes influenza kills because of subsequent pneumonia that can occur.”

The flu task force at UF Health Shands is meeting twice weekly to discuss strategies to handle the flu cases, Flynn said, which by number are not greater than in years past, but are more severe. Strategies include making sure the ICU can accommodate flu victims and encouraging ER doctors to administer Tamiflu, a drug used to treat the flu, in patients with flu-like illness, Flynn added.

The best strategy for the public at large is to get vaccinated as soon as possible, especially since the peak flu season is yet to come, Flynn said.

“This is a preventable illness,” Flynn said, adding that the vaccine is perfectly safe. “You can't get the flu from the shot. It's a dead virus.”

UF Health Shands has also sent out memos to university faculty, staff and students, encouraging them to get vaccinated. While the UF student health center has exhausted its supply of the vaccine -- having given out over 9,000 vaccinations before Thanksgiving -- UF Health is encouraging students to get the vaccine from their primary care physicians, or from local pharmacies, where it costs $32, although many insurers will cover that.

<p>The H1N1 flu virus has hit North Central Florida harder than in 2009, the year that it emerged worldwide with a vengeance and was labeled a pandemic.</p><p>Twelve patients hospitalized with the flu at UF Health Shands Hospital since October have died, five of whom were under the age of 40. Over 150 have been hospitalized with the flu at Shands.</p><p>“That's really striking. Normally mortality associated with influenza is in the elderly,” said Professor Glen Morris, director of the Emerging Pathogens Institute at UF.</p><p>Meantime, Marion County hasn't seen the same volume of influenza-related hospital admissions as Gainesville, but emergency room admissions for influenza-like illness (ILI) are on the rise, said Craig Ackerman, Marion County Health Department spokesman.</p><p>Influenza-like illness manifests with a temperature over 100 degrees and a cough and sore throat that are unrelated to any other medical conditions, Ackerman added.</p><p>Marion County emergency rooms reported 69 cases of ILI for the last week in December, a gradual increase from the 56 cases the week before, and the 34 cases the week before that.</p><p>At Munroe Regional Hospital, senior vice president of medical affairs and chief quality officer Dr. Lon McPherson said there have been some very significant illnesses, and a couple of flu-related deaths at the hospital.</p><p>However, McPherson said that the number of flu cases is lower than it was in 2009. A couple of mild seasons followed, and the numbers are back up this year compared to last.</p><p>“This is a return to the normal flu season,” he said.</p><p>However, visits have fallen for children, who are instead being hospitalized with a different type of virus called respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, which typically shows up at the same time as the flu.</p><p>Ackerman said they are also on high alert for pregnant women with the flu, since statewide pregnant women are being hard hit.</p><p>“Flu is five times more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than other women,” Ackerman said. “If mothers will get the flu vaccine, they are protecting themselves and their babies.”</p><p>The health departments in both Marion and Alachua Counties provide the flu vaccine, as do retail pharmacies in both counties.</p><p>Professor Morris said that although the H1N1 virus that circulated five years ago hit younger people like the current strain, this variant of the virus appears to be even more lethal.</p><p>“It is not unexpected that strains mutate year to year,” Morris said, adding that's why it's important to get an annual flu vaccine. “This one appears to have changed unfortunately for the worse.”</p><p>Morris and his colleagues at UF are in the process of studying the strain to determine exactly how it's changed and why it's affecting younger people.</p><p>The five people under age 40 who died were in their 20s and 30s, said Dr. Timothy Flynn, the hospital's chief medical officer. Although some of the patients who died had underlying medical conditions, all came to the hospital with the flu, Flynn said. Although it's impossible to say whether they died of the flu or simply with it, the combination of flu and chronic conditions became lethal.</p><p>Morris said that most flu deaths result from the virus' deadly effect on the lungs.</p><p>“Flu gets into the lungs and destroys the lungs,” he said. “Sometimes influenza kills because of subsequent pneumonia that can occur.”</p><p>The flu task force at UF Health Shands is meeting twice weekly to discuss strategies to handle the flu cases, Flynn said, which by number are not greater than in years past, but are more severe. Strategies include making sure the ICU can accommodate flu victims and encouraging ER doctors to administer Tamiflu, a drug used to treat the flu, in patients with flu-like illness, Flynn added.</p><p>The best strategy for the public at large is to get vaccinated as soon as possible, especially since the peak flu season is yet to come, Flynn said.</p><p>“This is a preventable illness,” Flynn said, adding that the vaccine is perfectly safe. “You can't get the flu from the shot. It's a dead virus.”</p><p>UF Health Shands has also sent out memos to university faculty, staff and students, encouraging them to get vaccinated. While the UF student health center has exhausted its supply of the vaccine -- having given out over 9,000 vaccinations before Thanksgiving -- UF Health is encouraging students to get the vaccine from their primary care physicians, or from local pharmacies, where it costs $32, although many insurers will cover that.</p><p><i>Contact Kristine Crane at 338-3119, or kristine.crane@gvillesun.com.</i></p>